# US 2014/0191006 A1 · Mounting interface for a removable motorcycle accessory > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191006 A1 - Document ID: US20140191006A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,356 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc. - Applicants: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, LLC - Inventors: John W. Schanz; Troy Schneiker; Joshua J. Hedtke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191006A1 ## CPC - B62J 11/00: Supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening specific devices to cycles, e.g. supports for attaching maps - B62J 7/04: arranged above or behind the rear wheel - B62J 9/26: to the saddle, e.g. saddle bags - B62J 15/00: Mud-guards for wheels - B62J 7/02: characterised by the arrangement thereof on cycles - B62J 9/22: between the main frame tubes, e.g. suspended from the top tube - Y10T 29/49817: with other than ancillary treating or assembling - B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A support assembly for removably attaching an accessory to a fender of a motorcycle. The support assembly includes left and right mounting brackets configured to be coupled to the fender. Each of the mounting brackets includes a receiving slot to provide access to respective mounting locations of the left and right mounting brackets for securing the accessory. Each receiving slot has a width. Left and right inserts are insertable into the respective receiving slots when the accessory is removed. Each of the left and right inserts includes an insertion portion and a shoulder portion. Each insertion portion has a first thickness less than the receiving slot width and is configured to be received by the corresponding receiving slot and to be coupled to the corresponding mounting bracket. The shoulder portion has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A support assembly for removably attaching an accessory to a fender of a motorcycle, the support assembly comprising: left and right mounting brackets configured to be coupled to the fender, each of the mounting brackets having a receiving slot, the receiving slot providing access to respective mounting locations of the left and right mounting brackets for securing the accessory, each receiving slot having a width; and left and right inserts insertable into the respective receiving slots when the accessory is removed, each of the left and right inserts including an insertion portion having a first thickness, the insertion portion configured to be received by the corresponding receiving slot and to be coupled to the corresponding mounting bracket, wherein the first thickness is less than the receiving slot width, and a shoulder portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the second thickness is about equal to the receiving slot width. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the left and right mounting brackets are outer mounting brackets, the support assembly further comprising left and right inner mounting brackets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The support assembly of claim 3, wherein the outer mounting brackets each include a pair of clearance holes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The support assembly of claim 4, wherein the fasteners extend through the clearance holes and engage the inner mounting brackets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the insertion portions includes a plurality of clearance holes, and wherein a steel compression limiter is press-fit into each of the plurality of clearance holes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the shoulder portion of each insert extends above a top surface of the corresponding mounting bracket when the insertion portion is coupled to the mounting bracket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the left and right inserts are formed of a chrome-plated plastic material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the left and right mounting brackets has corresponding mounting interfaces for both a saddlebag and the accessory, which is a detachable top case. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The support assembly of claim 1, wherein left and right mounting brackets are left and right saddlebag mounting brackets. ### Claim 11 A support assembly for removably attaching an accessory to a fender of a motorcycle, the support assembly comprising: left and right mounting brackets configured to be coupled to the fender, each of the mounting brackets having a receiving slot configured to receive a portion of the accessory, wherein the receiving slot opens upwardly from a top surface of the corresponding mounting bracket; and left and right inserts insertable into the receiving slots to a seated position when the accessory is removed, each of the inserts including a first portion concealed within the mounting bracket when the insert is in the seated position, and a second portion adjacent to and substantially filling the receiving slot when the insert is in the seated position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The support assembly of claim 11, wherein the left and right mounting brackets are outer mounting brackets, the support assembly further comprising left and right inner mounting brackets. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The support assembly of claim 12, wherein the outer mounting brackets each include a pair of clearance holes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The support assembly of claim 13, wherein the fasteners extend through the clearance holes and engage the inner mounting brackets. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The support assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the insertion portions include clearance holes, wherein steel compression limiters are press-fit into each clearance hole. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The support assembly of claim 11, wherein the second portion extends above the top surface of the outer mounting bracket when the insertion portion is coupled to the respective mounting bracket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The support assembly of claim 11, wherein the left and right inserts are formed of a chrome-plated plastic material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The support assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the left and right mounting brackets has corresponding mounting interfaces for both a saddlebag and the accessory, which is a detachable top case. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The support assembly of claim 11, wherein left and right mounting brackets are left and right saddlebag mounting brackets. ### Claim 20 A method of de-accessorizing a fender of a motorcycle, the method comprising: providing left and right mounting brackets on opposing sides of the fender, each mounting bracket having a receiving slot, wherein a detachable accessory is supported by mounting portions of the detachable accessory through engagement with a respective mounting interface of each of the left and right mounting brackets; decoupling the mounting portions of the detachable accessory from the mounting interfaces of the mounting brackets; removing the accessory from the mounting brackets by extracting the mounting portions of the detachable accessory from the respective receiving slots; providing a pair of left and right inserts, each having a first portion engageable with one of the mounting interfaces of the mounting brackets; inserting the left and right inserts into the respective receiving slots; securing the first portion of each insert to the mounting interface of the corresponding mounting bracket with at least one fastener; and substantially closing the receiving slots of the corresponding mounting brackets with second portions of the corresponding inserts when the first portions of the inserts are secured to the corresponding mounting interfaces.